SDM and the case of the dreaded override

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One of the most frequent questions I hear when I’m out in the field is around SDM and the use of overrides. What are they? When do I use them? How are they used? And so on. Overrides don’t have to be complicated. I’m going to try and explain overrides in a way that makes sense to the folks using them. The SDM tools help workers come to a ‘recommended’ decision, but this recommended decision may not be the best decision for the family or there may be something specifically in policy that requires us to override the recommended decision of the tool.

An override is simply a built in function that allows the worker and the supervisor to ‘change’ the recommended decision of the tool. You would only use an override if you had a reason to use an override. If you agree with the decision the tools is recommended you simply don’t use the override function.

There are three types of overrides. Policy, discretionary and ‘other’. Policy overrides are used when there is a specific reason in policy why you would need to change the recommended decision and respond differently. Reasons for policy overrides are given right on the SDM tool.

Example: You have checked off a recommended screening decision of screen in – one or more criteria are marked due to a concerned aunt calling about inadequate supervision, and threat of emotional abuse due to caregiver substance abuse concerns. However, the RCMP called on the weekend about this same concern, there is no new information provided by the caller and the agency responded on the weekend.  In this circumstance you would use a policy override to screen out as a previously investigated incident and same allegation. You mark your final screening decision as screen out, sign the intake and pass it onto your supervisor.

Discretion is defined as the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation, this is exactly the purpose of a discretionary override. The tool has taken you to a recommended decision, but you as the worker in consultation with the supervisor want to proceed in a different way, so you mark of the box for discretionary override and state the reason you are changing the recommended decision.

Please see Override Quick Tips for your reference!